Tide's Steakley following in father's footsteps

Sunday

Aug 28, 2005 at 12:11 AMAug 28, 2005 at 11:00 PM

By Christopher Walsh Sports Writer

TUSCALOOSA | David Steakley remembers what it was like to have pregame meals with his father in the "A" Club, the University of Alabama's Lettermen Club for former athletes, managers and athletic trainers.

Season tickets had always been a staple along with the frequent drives from Huntsville. Considering there were five older grandchildren who all earned at least one degree (and often multiple) from Alabama, he was indoctrinated in crimson at an early age.

"Just that background, my dad, coming to games, it's just like one of your first loves, coming to Alabama football," Steakley said.

This season, Rod Steakley won't be able to share those meals with his son. That's because David is a senior wide receiver on the Crimson Tide, in similar fashion to his father.

"He was a running back," David Steakley said. "He was a receiver, but when they moved to the wishbone his senior year they moved him to running back."

Actually, that's an over-simplification.

Rod Steakley was one of the team captains for the 1971 game coach Paul "Bear" Bryant unveiled Alabama's new wishbone attack along with future College Fall of Fame running back Johnny Musso, defensive end Robin Parkhouse and defensive back Steve Higginbotham.

"It was a pretty good day in Alabama football," Rod Steakley said, and a day that he nearly wasn't a part of.

While Alabama was coming off a 6-5-1 season, which included a 42-21 home loss to Southern Cal in the opener, the Vietnam War was at its height. Rod Steakley spent that summer participating in a rigorous ROTC basic training program at Fort Knox, Ky., so he could skip the basic ROTC program while remaining eligible to play his senior season.

Though Steakley arrived on campus for fall practice in the best shape of his life, his plans were already in jeopardy. At the first team meeting, Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant gave a review of his career, told players he knew about winning championships, but admitted he had gotten away from some of the basics. Instead of trying to win with big plays, Alabama would go back to controlling the line of scrimmage while changing the offensive scheme to the run-oriented wishbone.

"One big fact was pre-eminent," Rod Steakley said. "In the spring I had switched over to flanker. In the little that I knew about the wishbone, I knew that there was no flanker."

During his daily prayers, Rod Steakley thought God was trying to tell him something. "You shall have no other gods before Me," was the first of the Ten Commandments, and he began to believe that God wanted him to give up his false God, football.

On the same day, backfield coach David Crow announced that because the halfbacks were having trouble making the crucial lead block, those who could do it correctly during a scrimmage would immediately get playing time.

"I thought this is going to be my test," Rod Steakley said. "I went out and had one of the best days I ever had. I was on cloud nine when I went to practice the next day."

However, instead of moving up, he dropped on the depth chart from second-team to third-team. Thinking he had his answer, Rod Steakley was ready to hang up his cleats and accept his fate.

"Rod, I know you're not a quitter, I know that's not what you're here to do," Rod Steakley recalled Bryant saying in his office later that Monday. The coach asked him to wait until Friday, and if he still felt obligated to stop playing would be made a graduate assistant in order to keep his scholarship.

That Friday, not only was Steakley still on the team, but Bryant named him an offensive captain for the opener.

Meanwhile, the switch to the wishbone, designed to wear defenses down through deceit and power, was the best-kept secret in Alabama, if not in all of college football.

Practices were closed to reporters except for media day, during which the Tide ran its former pro-style offense. Even the roster for the game program had players listed in the old formation.

The ruse worked so well that the heavily favored Trojans were slow to react.

"I'm sure he [USC coach John McKay] thought we were running some trick plays," Rod Steakley said. "Come the end of the first quarter, there was shock in their eyes."

Alabama scored on its first three possessions and held on for a 17-14 victory to shock the Trojans.

The Tide went on finish the regular season undefeated (winning the lone Iron Bowl in which both teams came in unbeaten), but lost 38-6 to Nebraska in the Sugar Bowl for the national championship.

Rod Steakley graduated and the following year the future attorney married another Alabama student. Linda Steakley is the current Alabama State Dietetic Association president, and they have two other children, Ashleigh and John.

Ironically, Rod Steakley is listed among Tide lettermen as a split end, the same position David plays, though that won't be his best opportunity for getting on the field at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

"What I'm definitely looking for this season is to get on special teams," David Steakley said. "That's my biggest goal, to get out there on kickoffs and bust some heads.

"I think that's my best chance. I feel like I'm pretty good, but we have some great receivers here."

Though the "like father, like son" story likely won't result in a similar conclusion, this obviously won't be just another season for the elder Steakley, who has more reason than ever to stay in the Crimson Tide family.

"Before I started playing, sitting with him in the stands, you can still see that intensity on his face," David Steakley said. "But as for knowing all the players and all the statistics, he doesn't get into all of that. It's just coming and enjoying being here.

"He won't call me and say, "What's wrong with [Ken] Darby? What's wrong with Brodie [Croyle]?" He just wants to enjoy the game, much in the same mold as his father."

Maybe someday David Steakley himself will be in the "A" Club with his son before he start classes at Alabama. But for now, there's a season to be played and no doubt about where either Steakley belongs.

"I wasn't surprised, but I was pleased when he decided to be one of the unsung players who really make a difference in a game," Rod Steakley said. "I couldn't be prouder of him."

Reach Christopher Walsh at christopher.walsh@tuscaloosanews.com or at (205) 722-0196.

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